Oatmeal Banana Bread

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Delicious oatmeal banana bread with oatmeal in the bread and a tasty oatmeal topping. This hearty banana bread is perfect for breakfast or a mid morning snack. 

The most popular recipe on my blog is a recipe for Oatmeal Banana Muffins. They are a really great muffin that get rave reviews. Just lately I’ve had some readers ask if they can make the recipe into a banana bread instead of muffins. 

And yes, you can make that recipe into a loaf of bread. I’ve made those muffins hundreds of times and I’ve never even thought about adding the batter to a loaf pan. Sometimes I can get a bit stuck in my ways. I adjusted my original muffin recipe, just a bit and made it into banana bread. 

You could still use my original muffin recipe for making this banana oat bread.  It makes a delicious loaf. This new recipe is slightly less dense than the original. 

Step by Step Directions

1. Combine flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon
2. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil and vanilla
3. Mash bananas using a fork or a potato masher
4. Add mashed bananas to egg mixture
5. Place egg mixture in bowl with flour mixture
6. Stir together just until combined
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7. Place in a greased loaf pan
8. Top with oat crumble
9. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50- 60 minutes

Oatmeal Crumb Topping

1. Place oatmeal, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and oil in a bowl
2. Mix until combined
3. Sprinkle mixture over banana bread batter

How to test if bread is done?

• Cooking times vary depending on each oven
• At 50 minutes test bread with a toothpick. Insert a toothpick in the center of the bread. Bread is done if there are just a few crumbs stuck to toothpick. Bread needs more baking time if toothpick comes out with sticky batter, bake for 5-10 minutes longer
• Here is great tutorial on testing banana bread if you want to know more

Tips for making

• Use really ripe bananas for making this bread. 
• Mash the bananas well before adding to the mixture
• Preheat oven before adding bread
• Check your bread to see if it’s baked through at 50 minutes. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes if needed.
• Allow bread to fully cool before slicing. Warm bread tends to fall apart easily.

Ingredient substitutions

• Old Fashioned Oats – You can use one-minute or quick oats  instead
• Canola Oil – Use vegetable oil or other light tasting oil
• Vanilla – If you don’t have vanilla on hand, you may omit 

How long will banana bread last?

Banana bread doesn’t last long in my house, because my kids tend to eat it up right away! However, it could last for up to three days if stored in an airtight container. Once bread has fully cooled slice bread and place in a zip top bag or container.

This bread can also be frozen. Allow bread to fully cool, slice, if desired and add to a freezer bag. Frozen banana bread is best if used within 2-3 months. 

Other great recipes using ripe bananas

• Blueberry Banana Coffee Cake
• Quinoa Banana Bread
• Walnut Banana Muffins
• Fruit and Veggie Smoothie

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If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Check out all my delicious bread recipes!